A summer of terror?

[diuretic]

Isn't it desirable to bring other's in to your religion? Don't ALL religions express that desire? (some more forcibly than others) I know I have a "friend" that continually tries to recruit me in to her church to "save" me..

Judaism doesn't. It will accept converts but it puts many hurdles in the way so that the person is absolutely sure they wish to convert. Now I'm sure that someone is going to put a bit of "the Jews believe they are the Chosen People and don't want anyone else in with them" spin on that, but I prefer to think that Judaism doesn't see itself as being in a big competition with every other religion to sign people up.

[Gadget (fmr Marine)]

True, I was generalizing, though...Orthodox Jews do desire their families to be large (7-10 children), so as to affect political processes in coming generations, I've heard, though....as do many religious groups whoi are in the political minority.

[glockmail]

No I'm pointing out that humans behave in certain ways if they believe their actions are guided by/advised by/approved (of)/endorsed by - their god.

OK, but you haven't addressed the fact that the Christian Bible tells us to turn the other cheek, love thy neighbor and all while the Koran details methods of death and deception against infadels. With that in mind, how can you equate a few errant Christians with a significant percentage of Islamists?

[diuretic]

True, I was generalizing, though...Orthodox Jews do desire their families to be large (7-10 children), so as to affect political processes in coming generations, I've heard, though....as do many religious groups whoi are in the political minority.

Interesting point. I suppose hundreds of years of living among the Gentiles will do that.

[diuretic]

OK, but you haven't addressed the fact that the Christian Bible tells us to turn the other cheek, love thy neighbor and all while the Koran details methods of death and deception against infadels. With that in mind, how can you equate a few errant Christians with a significant percentage of Islamists?

I don't know if it was a "few errant Christians". If I remember rightly a Pope had to issue an order to a few Kings to cut it out. But I think it's not so much a question of the numbers as the times. Christianity has been through its vicious mediaevalism period, it's certainly not a violent religion now. Islam is being used by a bunch of current vicious mediaevalists who appear to be interpreting their religion as suits them. They're religious nutters. Their wacky visions of an Islamic Caliphate are patently ridiculous. There's no way known they'll succeed in that objective.

[glockmail]

I don't know if it was a "few errant Christians". If I remember rightly a Pope had to issue an order to a few Kings to cut it out. But I think it's not so much a question of the numbers as the times. Christianity has been through its vicious mediaevalism period, it's certainly not a violent religion now. Islam is being used by a bunch of current vicious mediaevalists who appear to be interpreting their religion as suits them. They're religious nutters. Their wacky visions of an Islamic Caliphate are patently ridiculous. There's no way known they'll succeed in that objective.

Actually that period was Christians defending themselves against Muslims and driving them back to the Middle East. The persecution of Christians by the Muslim Invaders created a society that was backwards when compared to the European society before the first Muslim invasions.

[GW in Ohio]

I'm really hoping you and gaby are at ground zero as well. Nothing unAmerican about that. Just a personal preference.

You're a sweet guy, gaffer.

I've run into a lot of asshole conservatives in my time, but I've never encountered one who actually wished liberals to die.

Are you sure you're on our side?

[glockmail]

You're a sweet guy, gaffer.

I've run into a lot of asshole conservatives in my time, but I've never encountered one who actually wished liberals to die.

Are you sure you're on our side?

I thought he was being nice to y'all. At ground zero you feel nothing. A mile or so out and you die a slow, painful death. Far be it for you open-minded liberals to see the best in people.

[Gaffer]

zwahiri just released a 95 minute video tape and among his other ramblings he calls for smaller attacks, random shootings and bombings and any other means available. Such attacks should be carried out in smaller communities. They would be designed to create terror throughout the nation.

In other news there is an islamic website (I don't have the name) that talks about 30 nuclear strikes attempted on the US that were disrupted. Not clear on whether a dirty bomb or actual nuke. Still researching this.

[Pale Rider]

Pale: I want to see us seal off our southern border now.

I want it sealed off tight not only to close off the flow of illegal immigrants, but to close off access to any potential terrorists.

But if you're a terrorist with some money, there's much easier access across the Canadian border.

Yes there is access to America from the north too, and I would expect that if we seal up the southern border, it will force those extremists from other countries, that are other than mexican, will simply try and enter from the north. But with that in mind, it should make it easier to identify them then, because we'll at least know where they're at. But working with Canada will be next, and we'll tighten up that border as well.

[Pale Rider]

Wow. Did bin Laden tell you this while you were living with him in his cave?

Either that or while she was married to al-zarqawi in Iraq.